What are you most freaked out about learning in nursing school? What makes you the most nervous? I am worried about taking blood. My hands tend to shake a little, even when I am not nervous, but really bad when I am nervous. I plan to take beta-blockers in nursing school so poor patients don't have to see shakes the clown coming at them with a needle.
I have been really trying to desensitize myself to the idea of sticking a needle into someone's vein. I look at people's arms a lot and visualize calmly and gently finding a vein, making the stick, etc. I know that seems strange, but just trying to gear up for it.
For all of you experienced students - do you usually get free time in the labs to just practice and practice on the models?? Do you practice blood draws on your fellow students?
beta blockers are used to treat some heart conditions, but can also be used to essentially "cut off" the body's physiological reactions to stress. So you may feel nervous, but you don't get the "fight or flight" rush of adrenaline that leaves many of us shaking, blushing, hearts pounding, etc. You can read more here -
As a new GN, I fear what I may not know in an emergent situation. Fortunately, I will be in a very good preceptor program until we are comfortable with my performance. It is time to see how school prepared me for my mid-life occupational change!
Specializes in telemetry, cardiopulmonary stepdown, LTC. Hospice.
beta blockers are used to treat some heart conditions, but can also be used to essentially "cut off" the body's physiological reactions to stress. So you may feel nervous, but you don't get the "fight or flight" rush of adrenaline that leaves many of us shaking, blushing, hearts pounding, etc. You can read more here -
edit - oh and you can get them through a 'scrip from your doc.
I'm on beta blockers for life as a precaution, due to a case of peripartum cardiomyopathy I recovered from. You still feel nervous, but your body can't work itself up into panic like it did before. I found that I can give speeches fairly successfully now since I'm on beta blockers! I was still scared, but my hands didn't sweat and get cold and my voice didn't shake. MOST excellent.
I don't know, but I can't imagine a doctor letting you be on a beta blockers to just feel more calm! I mean, these are high powered heart drugs with side effects....if I was a doctor I would just say NO WAY to that. While I was on Toprol XL I did experience feeling "turned off" of the world. I couldn't cry, I didn't feel very happy, I was just BLAH. I would say perfectly horrible things to people and not understand why they were upset. It was terrible. Then I switched to Coreg and it has made all the difference. While I am still slightly "tuned out" in some ways and it is much harder to cry or get very angry, I feel much more normal and enjoy life more on Coreg.
Anyway...just thought I'd toss in my two cents about beta blockers. I like them, overall, now that I don't wander around like a zombie. I mean, I used to have fairly bad temper and not be about to do speeches, and that's pretty much gone. Now I find that Coreg may help me be calm in nursing school. NEAT!
Docs do indeed perscribe beta blockers for nervousness. However, you only take them as needed - not all the time. I have a friend who uses them - she takes it a few hours before her presentation and no more stammering, red face, shaky voice. I have to use these - I trimble so badly I could never work with needles. I am counting on them to get me through.
Specializes in Med-Surg, Ortho, & Tele all on one ward!.
I too am a student- thankfully only 3 classes away from my BSN. Fear of blood, emesis, peri care, catheters- lots of times I would be outside my pt's door huddled with another student as we mentally prepped outselves to go in and tackle the next skill. I learned you just have to laugh at yourself (in your head, not outloud!) and just keep trying again.
If a catheter goes *in the wrong hole* the patient has no idea. Just start over, and giggle at post-conference.
If you miss the vein...try again, and grab the RN to help. Just dont make a big deal out of it...and the pt's normally dont get upset or angry.
Whoops, the RN saw you gag! Just be glad that you didnt actually get any of your stomach contents on the floor! Next time it will be easier.
Its grade time...and you failed a class. Its not the end of the world- and guess what I learned. You can retake the class, and you have not *failed* anyone. Your family and friends will think no differently of you- just get on the horse and try again. This time, try for an A or B: and you will regain the respect of your instructors. Even those people that you think make straight As...they occasionally fail.
As a near newly grad nurse, here are my fears:
--Not being able to keep up with pt load. I can handle 1 CC pt or 2 Med-Surg..but 5 Med-Surg pts? Or more? I am terrified.
--Drug errors. I liked it better back when I had someone over my shoulder all the time double checking me...now I just had to remind myself to go slow, and try and follow all the rules I was taught even though no one is looking now.
I forgot to add one of my biggest fears because I usually try not to think about it. I'm afraid that I will start nursing school and realize I don't like it. When I decided I wanted to be a nurse I walked away from a high paying career, sold my house that I loved and moved home with my parents. I have spent the last two years taking the prereqs and working part time for $10/hr. If it turns out nursing isn't for me it will all be for nothing. That is a huge fear and I pray it will not happen. I am fully committed to becoming a nurse and can't wait to be licensed but there's still that small chance that I just won't like it.
Oh the fears of a nursing student. I can honestly say that I am terrified of catheters. I am also very scared of stitches, for some reason they just gross me out. I also can't handle accidental cuts. If it is a surgical incision, I'm fine. But accidents just make me nausiated. I'm working on it though, looking at cuts or stitches as often as possible. Oh well, I'll get over it.
:) I was scared of catheters too but once the time comes you will have practiced in the lab, and when it's time to do it in real life,you'll just do it. Stay confident.
As far as finding something to do on clinicals. When I was finished with my pt. in 104, I would find my classmates to see if they needed help with something, or ask one of the nurses if I could observe if she was doing a skill, such as a catheter or a picc line dressing, etc. Trust me, you will find something to do. Then of course you can complete your clinical worksheets so that in post-conference with your Instructor you will be able to answer her questions about your pt.
When you start clinicals, your Instructor will tell you what she expects of you.
On my 2nd to last clinical day, I had completed my assessment of the pt, given her A.M. Meds, and I was running here and there. I had to go hunt down the scales to weigh her. It seemed like we had so many intrusions, 1st PT came in, then the Activity director , then a caseworker, then the pt's family. By noon, I still had not seen that my pt was bathed!.....My Instructor informed me that there was no way that pt. should not have already been bathed!....so, DO IT now!....I told her about all the visitors, and she said it was my place to tell them that they would have to wait to see the pt. until I was finished. oh well, I dropped the ball on that one. I find myself not to be very assertive, but you HAVE to be in some cases or you will get taken advantage of. When I first started in my clinicals I would try to do everything for the pt. I thought I was being helpful...WRONG..you have to let them be independent in the things that they can manage......I learned that on my 1st day, when an activity director "straightened me out" I just wanted to help!!
Anyway,,,you'll learn as you go...and you'll do fine....Tina :balloons:
Tina,
I so understand the whole doing everything for a patient My first semester I would spend the entire day trying to make sure the one patient I had had the best possible care. Little did I know that while I was chasing stuff now and asking if there was anything else I could do for him/her, my classmates were starting and finishing paperwork. At the end of the day they had finished care plans and FHPs and I was trying to figure out how I was going to get them done before the next day. Finally one day I realized that if Mr/Mrs X needed anything they would let me know, and stopping in the room every 1/2 hour or so (if their ADLs were finished, no meds were due, and they were stable) was more than enough. It's called time management; and when I figured it out and excitedly told my instructor I had finally figured it out, she laughed and asked "I wondered when you were going to realize you are here to learn nursing no personal care attending." :rotfl: :rotfl:
After learning a little about time management (a skill I still have not mastered and my instructors are not shy about reminding me about!!!! ) My assignments didn't kill me the night before they were due, and I actually started being a nurse. Don't get me wrong, I still have a load to learn, but unlike being beside myself wondering how on earth I would ever be able to care for more than one patient, I understood that care didn't mean standing at the foot of the bed waiting for the pt to ring a little bell and say go get it. Actually being able to care for two patients at a time (and being able to get paperwork roughed out) is where I am at now, and I can see the light at the end of the tunnel.
As for my fear......Death. I so wonder how I am going to handle my first death. I have a bad habit of really getting attached to my pts, and worry that it may cause me extreme distress (I have never handled death very well).
Well I've rambled enough I guess, thanks to all who have posted, I've laughed at more than one of the fears; not because they were stupid but because I've had the same ones and have either gotten over them or am looking forward to the opportunity to get through them.
I just wanted to help!!
Princess74
817 Posts
Biggest Fear. FAILING!!
I take Beta Blockers, but I take them because I have to. I have high blood pressure. You don't want to take them unless you have too. Seriously!